6 Elements to Elevate Your Drone Photography

Not very long ago, aerial images were luxury items in a real estate photography service’s portfolio, reserved for elite and A-list properties. That is no longer the case. Drone photography has put aerial images within reach of any real estate marketing budget. As drone and camera technology improves - and becomes more affordable - many agents are offering aerial photography to their clients.

One way they are doing that is by purchasing a drone and shooting overhead footage themselves. The more convenient and cost-effective way, however, is to partner with a professional real estate drone photography service. In either case, there exist several elements to elevate your drone photography and land professional results. Beyond the bare necessity of being properly licensed and insured, here are six qualities or principles that will allow a drone photographer for real estate to ensure a top-notch product.

1. Employ the right equipment.

It is not hard to enter the domain of aerial drone photography. Today, anyone can click over to Amazon and purchase a drone with a camera for about forty bucks. But professional gear costs a bit more. Well, maybe more than a bit; the cost of a drone suitable for use in professional photography begins around $500 at the lower end and rises to several thousand at the higher end, with a number of recommended models coming in somewhere around $1500. Not only must the drone itself be capable of high performance (i.e. heavy enough to handle high winds and battery life to make it through a photo shoot), the onboard camera must be up to the task of capturing high definition images. Extra gear is also necessary: spare batteries, additional camera lenses, and more.

2. Do some savvy soaring.

To garner great shots of a home and property, a drone photographer must be an expert pilot. Hundreds or even thousands of flight hours are needed to master more than an enthusiast’s level of skill. The kind of skill required when soaring above someone’s house (let alone through their living room for an indoor shoot) is not obtained in a matter of a few hours at the park. Careful navigation, attention to the capabilities of a particular drone (such as flight characteristics or battery life), and awareness of overhead obstacles (like trees and power lines) are all required - on top of trying to identify and frame perfect pictures.

3. Have an eye for the art of photography.

When it comes to perfect pictures, a drone operator must be more than a skilled pilot. He or she must also possess an eye for composition and contrast, lighting and color. A drone photographer has to be able to survey the area from a bird’s eye view and home in on eye-catching camera shots. This is where a professional drone photographer who specializes in real estate photos makes a difference. Exterior shots of a home and property, views of the neighborhood and surrounding area, the proximity to a neighborhood school, the water, or nearby amenities - these all benefit from a keen eye through the camera lens that can lend a touch of the drama to a property portfolio. An added benefit is a photographer who can artfully capture dramatic aerial images at the “golden hour”, also known as twilight photography.

4. Provide an ample supply of photographs.

It does not matter if a photographer is taking in a wedding or a wildlife scene, it is common to take dozens or even hundreds of pictures during a photo shoot. A drone event may be a bit limited by the life of a battery, access to a property, or changes in the weather, but high-definition photographs are essential in ample supply. From the batch of images, a photographer must be able to pull out the very best examples, edit the photos or videos, and provide a wide range of options for a customer. 

5. Offer a quick turnaround time.

It is no secret that real estate photography has urgency tied to it. But setting up and conducting a drone photo shoot takes time. So does downloading and editing all of the photographs or real estate videos. That is one of the great disadvantages of an agent trying to take drone pictures: time. A professional drone service should be able to shoot, edit, and deliver photos within twenty-four hours so that they can be uploaded to the MLS, posted on social media, and featured on a realtor’s website as soon as possible to meet soaring market demands.

6. Give a satisfaction guarantee.

One of the reasons an agent might prefer to go the DIY route is the thought that “If I want it done right, I need to do it myself.” Of course, this is certainly not true. No agent believes this to be true universally. After all, someone else must be trusted to handle certain responsibilities, such as the title work and facilitate the closing. The same is true for other services, like creating 3D virtual tours or providing print advertisements. But not all drone photographers are of equal ability. So, a photography service should be able to offer samples of their work and give a guarantee of satisfaction.

What you can do

Photography is an art; drone piloting is a delicate skill. The two together require someone with an artistic eye and a skillful hand. You may or may not be interested in investing hundreds or thousands of dollars in equipment, licensing, and insurance - along with countless hours of practice - to do your own drone photography. In any case, there is something that must be done for every drone shoot: you need to prep the property. Have the homeowner clean up the yard, put away the toys, uncover the pool. Just as you might prepare a kitchen for an interior shoot, you must also take into account what the yard will look like from above. When the property is well prepared and a capable drone photographer is on the job, you will end up with a premium gallery of aerial images to market any listing.